Mmr vaccine what does it contain

A pharmacist can check your vaccination record and give the vaccination. Phone them first to make sure they can help you with the vaccination you need.

Vaccines on the National Immunisation Schedule are free. Other vaccines are funded only for people at particular risk of disease. You can choose to pay for vaccines that you are not eligible to receive for free.

After a single dose of MMR vaccine, 90—95 out of people will be protected from measles, 69—81 protected from mumps and 90—97 from rubella. The MMR vaccine is given as an intramuscular injection injected into a muscle in your thigh or upper arm. It is given as 2 doses, usually at 12 months and 15 months of age. Like all medicines, vaccines can cause side effects, although not everyone gets them.

Most side effects are mild and short lived. The chance of a severe reaction from MMR is very small, but the risks from not being vaccinated are very serious. Because the MMR vaccine combines 3 separate vaccines measles, mumps, rubella in 1 injection, each vaccine can cause reactions at different times after the injection.

Vaccines do not cause autism. The confusion came about because in a British doctor thought there was a link between the MMR vaccine and autism. It has since been found that the doctor had changed the patient data and the laboratory reports were incorrect. There are now many well-conducted studies that have addressed this issue, and some studies have more than one million children in them.

These studies strongly show no evidence of any connection between autism and the MMR vaccine, even among at-risk individuals. The MMR vaccine is very safe. Read more:. This section will be of most interest to clinicians eg, nurses, doctors, pharmacists and specialists. Looking for Where to get medical help A health professional or service Patient portals Newsletters View all.

Measles : The infection can be serious, with 1 in 10 needing to go to hospital. Complications include diarrhoea which can lead to dehydration , ear infections which can cause hearing loss , pneumonia which is the most common cause of death and encephalitis brain inflammation , which can cause brain damage. Read more about measles. Mumps : The symptoms of mumps are usually mild, such as swollen salivary glands at the side of your face , headache and fever, but it can cause serious complications such as deafness, swollen testicles or ovaries, and meningitis.

Read more about mumps. Rubella also called German measles : This is usually a mild infection that gets better within about 7—10 days, but it becomes a serious concern if a pregnant woman catches the infection during the first 20 weeks of pregnancy. This is because the rubella virus can affect the development of the baby and cause severe health problems such as eye problems, deafness, heart abnormalities and brain damage.

Infection during People who are given the MMR vaccine according to the US vaccination schedule are considered protected for life. A summary of changes to the adult immunization schedule is available here. See also Overview of Immunization Overview of Immunization Immunity can be achieved Actively by using antigens eg, vaccines, toxoids Passively by using antibodies eg, immune globulins, antitoxins A toxoid is a bacterial toxin that has been modified The MMR vaccine contains live-attenuated measles and mumps viruses, prepared in chicken embryo cell cultures.

It also contains live-attenuated rubella virus, prepared in human diploid lung fibroblasts. MMR vaccine and varicella vaccine Varicella Vaccine Varicella vaccination provides effective protection against varicella chickenpox. It is not known how long protection against varicella lasts. But, live-virus vaccines, like the varicella All adults who were born in or later should be given 1 dose of the vaccine unless they have one of the following:.

Documented diagnosis of disease by a physician is not considered acceptable evidence of immunity for measles, mumps, or rubella. People born before are generally considered immune.

However, such people who work within health care facilities whether or not they have patient care duties should be considered for vaccination if they have no evidence of immunity. Two doses of MMR are given one dose if only rubella coverage is needed. Because rubella during pregnancy can have dire consequences for the fetus eg, miscarriage, multiple birth defects , all women of childbearing age, regardless of birth year, should be screened for rubella immunity. If there is no evidence of immunity, women who are not pregnant should be vaccinated.

See also, Travel Information Measles Mumps Rubella Healthcare personnel Healthcare personnel should have documented presumptive evidence of immunity , according to the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices pdf icon [48 pages]. On This Page. Women of Childbearing Age Women of childbearing age should check with their doctor to make sure they are vaccinated before they get pregnant.

Groups at increased risk for mumps because of a mumps outbreak During a mumps outbreak, public health authorities might recommend an additional dose of MMR vaccine for people who belong to groups at increased risk for getting mumps. Tell your vaccine provider if the person getting the vaccine: Has any severe, life-threatening allergies. A person who has ever had a life-threatening allergic reaction after a dose of MMR vaccine, or has a severe allergy to any part of this vaccine, may be advised not to be vaccinated.

Ask your health care provider if you want information about vaccine components. Is pregnant or thinks she might be pregnant. Pregnant women should wait to get MMR vaccine until after they are no longer pregnant. Women should avoid getting pregnant for at least 1 month after getting MMR vaccine.

Has a parent, brother, or sister with a history of immune system problems. Has ever had a condition that makes them bruise or bleed easily. Has recently had a blood transfusion or received other blood products. You might be advised to postpone MMR vaccination for 3 months or more. Has tuberculosis. Has gotten any other vaccines in the past 4 weeks.

Live vaccines given too close together might not work as well. Is not feeling well. A mild illness, such as a cold, is usually not a reason to postpone a vaccination. Someone who is moderately or severely ill should probably wait. Your doctor can advise you. You were born before About 3 out of people who get two doses of MMR vaccine will get measles if exposed to the virus. However, they are more likely to have a milder illness, and are also less likely to spread the disease to other people.

Mumps outbreaks can still occur in highly vaccinated U. During an outbreak, public health authorities may recommend an additional dose of MMR for people who belong to groups at increased risk for mumps.

An additional dose can help improve protection against mumps disease and related complications. While there are not many studies available, most people who do not respond to the rubella component of the first MMR dose would be expected to respond to the second dose.

MMRV is given by shot and may be given at the same time as other vaccines. Anyone who has not had 2 doses of the MMR vaccine should ask their GP surgery for a vaccination appointment. You may also be able to access your vaccination record online through GP online services. Read about how to access your health records. If your vaccination records are not available, or do not exist, it will not harm you to have the MMR vaccine again.

You should also avoid becoming pregnant for 1 month after having the MMR vaccine. Evidence suggests there will be no harm to your baby, but it's better to let them know.

The MMR vaccine is not recommended for people with a severely weakened immune system. For example, people receiving chemotherapy. If you have a medical condition, or are taking medicine that may affect your immune system, check with your healthcare provider if it's safe for you to have the MMR vaccine. It's best to have vaccines on time, but you can still catch up on most vaccines if you miss them. The MMR vaccine is given as 2 doses of a single injection into the muscle of the thigh or upper arm.

Single vaccines for measles, mumps and rubella are not available on the NHS and are not recommended. Combined vaccines like the MMR vaccine are safe and help to reduce the number of injections your child needs. Some private clinics in the UK offer single vaccines against measles, mumps and rubella, but these vaccines are unlicensed.

This means there are no checks on their safety and effectiveness. The NHS does not keep a list of private clinics. UK has more about why the NHS uses a combined vaccine. People who are vaccinated against mumps, but still catch it, are less likely to have serious complications or be admitted to hospital.

Protection against measles, mumps and rubella starts to develop around 2 weeks after having the MMR vaccine. The MMR vaccine is very safe. Most side effects are mild and do not last long, such as:. Some children might also cry and be upset immediately after the injection. This is normal and they should feel better after a cuddle. It's important to remember that the possible complications of infectious conditions, such as measles, mumps and rubella, are much more serious.